ILLMARK'S HOLD

Illmark's Hold is the closest thing to a city anywhere in the Crater Isles (at least above the water). With a population numbering near 5,000, this pirate town is the worst den of iniquity on the Crater. In a town of criminals, power is law; edicts of pirate captains are enforced by roving bands of pirates, who are often as much seeking the pleasure of violence as to enforce any "laws" they happen to conceive.

Some traditions, however, are widespread enough to have gained the force of law. Many of these are embodied in Illmark's Code, a code of conduct reputedly set down by Illmark himself. Although various individuals vary in the exact wording and intent of the code, the following elements are common:

• The city of Illmark's Hold shall be open to all pirates, so long as they do not prey on other pirates (this effectively bars the privateers).
• As a pirate's life is governed by the will of the gods, no god shall be barred and no interference with worship shall be tolerated (this has made Illmark's Hold a haven for many sects- such as Loviatar and Talona- which are not otherwise popular with the pirates).
• In time of war or attack, everyone in the Hold must fight for its defense. Every man must be trained to fight, and must maintain his own weapon (this has been extended to women and even children over the years).
• When pirate captains fight, they must do so outside the Hold, as the Hold is more important than any one captain (this was originally intended to protect the Hold from intrigue and civil war, and is mostly honored in the breach).

Illmark's Hold supports nearly any trade associated with the sea. There are shipwrights and a yard, with a dry dock able to bear nearly any seagoing vessel. Coopers (barrel-makers) and stevedores (cargo-handlers) repackage ill-gotten cargo and move it to more legitimately flagged vessels for fencing in the other ports of the Crater. Warehouses provide temporary storage for the goods, while moneychangers and usurers manage the huge sums which the pirate trade brings in.

The city is currently divided into three factions. Kato of the Lament is ostensibly the most respected pirate. An older, capable veteran, Kato lacks great leadership ability. Were he a more dynamic leader, or were he able to sway the pirates with the force of his personality, he would have been declared pirate Lord a decade ago. However, he is generally perceived as too weak to hold such a post against all challengers. It is interesting to note, however, that several other aspirants to that post have come and gone: Kato is still here.

One of those aspirants is Balor "the Mighty," a fat, brawling giant of a man who is said to hail from the Bay of Mist. Although Balor is large, his bulk belies his grace and speed in a fight. He rose to the captaincy after slaying his previous captain (a not uncommon occurrence among the pirates), and kept the post after three successive challenges, all ending in the death of his opponent. Balor has been currying favor among the younger pirates, many of whom have come to piracy after losing their homes to the Great Disaster or the invasion of the H'El Lords.

Balor urges greater aggressiveness, pointing out that the recent calamities have weakened even the most powerful nations on the coasts of the Inner Sea, and the newer pirates, many of whom have personal grudges against their old rulers, are eagerly accepting his word. More experienced pirates remember the reprisal fleets assembled by Avalon and Kuvera, and do not wish to suffer the concentrated attention of the wealthier and more powerful land nations again. They also fear that Balor, who has only been with the pirates for eight years, may actually be in the employ of the H'El Lords. The pirates have served the masters of that place before, always to their own detriment, and many distrust Balor's motives now.

Another recent arrival in the Crater Isles who has gained much favor is Haroon, a deposed Elani noble who fled to the Isles with three ships almost a decade ago. Haroon has also announced dreams of unifying the pirates into an army, although his goal is more personal-he seeks reinstatement into his ancestral lands in Elan. His following is weaker than Balor's, but it is growing, particularly since he gained the support of the well-known intriguer Taleth (who has long been viewed as talented but too weak to hold the lordship). Haroon is more politic (and, many say, wiser) than Balor; conflict between Balor and Haroon is inevitable, as they both seek the same power base: Kato appears to be standing back and waiting for them to destroy one another.